Ebedaholtihe

The Chipewyan and Cree tribes clashed over fishing rights, leading to a battle that left only one survivor from each side. The two men attempted to fish together using their own muscles as hook and line. Later, the Cree warned of a dangerous individual named Ebedaholtihe. When the Cree tried to burn the Chipewyan survivor, he summoned otters that attacked and killed his assailants. Subsequently, he married a Cree woman and integrated into their community.

Source:
Chipewyan Texts
by Pliny Earle Goddard
The American Museum of Natural History – Anthropological Papers
Volume X, Part 1
New York, 1912

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Authority: The protagonist challenges and ultimately overcomes Ebedaholtihe, a figure of power among the Cree.

Community and Isolation: The narrative explores themes of belonging and estrangement, as the protagonist transitions from being an enemy to becoming part of the Cree community.

Transformation through Love: The protagonist’s marriage into the Cree tribe signifies a personal and social transformation, fostering unity between former adversaries.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Chipewyan Lore

Learn more about the Chipewyan people

Once the Chipewyan and the Cree both came to the same place to fish. It was snowing and blowing, so they could not see anything. Soon one man came where another was sitting by his line. “You are the only one who has caught any fish,” he said. When the man looked back at him, he saw it was a Cree to whom he had spoken. Then he killed him with a spear and told his friends. Immediately, the Cree and the Chipweyan came together. There were many of them and they continued fighting each other until only two men were alive; one Chipewyan and one Cree. When these two had tried in vain to kill each other, they walked together to the lake. The Cree proposed that they should sit there and fish. “I have no hook,” said the Chipewyan. The Cree took the larger muscle from his arm and the Chipewyan the small muscle.

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They fished with these for hook and line. After a while, the Cree went to look at the hook. “I did not kill anything,” he told the Chipewyan when he returned. “You must have gone to it too soon. If I had gone, there would have been something.” “Will you go and look at it,” said the Cree. When he came to the hook, he caught two trout.

After a short time, many Cree came to the lake. The Cree man then told the Chipewyan that there was one dangerous Cree named, Ebedaholtihe. When they came up to them, one said to the Cree, “Many young men came here with you, I suppose that one sitting with you is one of your relatives.” “He is a dangerous man whom I have tried in vain to kill,” replied the Cree. “Do not bother him; he will make trouble for you.” Ebedaholtihe, said, “Fire is not disturbed by songs. Pile up a lot of wood for him.” Then they built a big fire and began to push the Chipewyan toward it. As he began to burn, he said to himself, “I wish otters would come here.” Soon otters came. When those who were trying to burn him saw the otters running toward him, they ran away. The Chipewyan followed by the otters ran after them. As he came near a man, he would catch up an otter and throw it at him. The otters bit them and they died. He threw two of them at his friend who caught them. When he threw one at Ebedaholtihe, it nearly killed him. When he pushed his head up through the bloody snow, he struck him on the crown of his head. He gave one of the otters to his friend. “Now, you see, I told you he was a dangerous man,” said the young Cree.

After that, the Chipewyan went to live with the Cree. When a tipi had been put up, the Cree called to him, “Come here.” When the Chipewyan was near he called to him to come in, and made a place for him on the opposite side of the fire. The Cree had two wives one sitting on either side of him. He picked up the one sitting near the door and threw her across the fire to the Chipewyan who caught her and threw her back. Then he took the wife sitting beyond the fire and threw her to him but he threw her back. He threw again the one sitting next to the door. She caught the Chipewyan about the neck and he married her. After that, he lived with the Cree.

He lived with the Cree a long time after that. He had children which were growing up. One time when he was away hunting he saw tracks of some people and followed them until he came where they were living. He found two of his sisters gathering firewood. He went with them to the village. One of his moccasins was torn and one of his sisters sewed it up for him. Taking a sack of red paint, he started home. When he came back to his tipi, his wife noticed that the moccasin had been mended. Her husband asked what she was thinking about. The wife, without replying, hung up his moccasins.

He went over there again and told the people what had happened. They talked it over and said they would come and kill them. The Chipewyan who was living with the Cree told them not to come near his tipi which they would recognize since it would be of untanned skins. When he came home he told his wife that his head was aching and asked her to make a tipi for him of untanned skin and pitch it to one side in which he might lie. She made a tipi for him and he went into it with all his family. He told his wife not to let the child go out of doors. In the night, he heard the Chipewyan coming. He went out immediately and came to his friend. “I will fight you again,” he said. “This time I will not think about living. Do what you intend to, spear me here.” “Put your spear down near by,” he said. Several of the Chipewyan’s relatives were killed but they killed all the Cree who were living there. The son of the Chipewyan had gone out and also been killed; but his wife and the remainder of his family were alive. The Chipewyan was about to kill some of his own people because of it but they gave him a young man of the same age in the place of his son who had been killed. Then he was satisfied and went with the Chipewyan and afterward lived with them.

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The Fish-Hawks

Two brothers venture out to hunt. The younger brother encounters a young woman and takes her as his wife. The elder brother, desiring her, sends the younger on a perilous quest to a distant mountain. There, he confronts and kills a family of Fish-Hawks. Upon returning, he discovers his brother has taken his wife, leading him to kill his brother and reclaim her.

Source:
Ten’a Texts and Tales
(from Anvik, Alaska)
by John W. Chapman
The American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume 6 (ed. Franz Boas)
E.J. Brill, Leyden, 1914

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Authority: The younger brother challenges his elder brother’s authority and desires.

Cunning and Deception: The elder brother deceives the younger by sending him on a dangerous quest.

Revenge and Justice: The younger brother seeks retribution against his elder brother for his deceit.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

From Tanana

There were two brothers who went out to hunt; and the younger found a nice young girl, and asked her to be his wife. She said, “Yes, I will go with you.” Then they went home-, and his brother said, “I will take your wife away from you.” He answered, “No, you will not. I want her for my wife.” “Well,” said he, “if you want her, go a long way off, and you will find a high mountain.” And he said, “Yes, I will go, because I want my wife.” So he went away, and came to the mountain, and went up the mountain, and came to a tree that had a big nest on it; and when he climbed up to it, he saw a little girl and a little boy in the nest. He killed the boy, and asked the girl where her mother was, and her father. She said, “My mother and father have gone out to hunt.” And he said to the little girl, “I will not kill you, but I will ask you what time your father and your mother are coming back.”

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She said, “It will rain when my mother comes, and it will snow when my father comes.” And he said, “Now I will hide;” and she said, “I think that when my father comes, he will kill you.” It was the Fish-Hawk and his wife. When her mother came, she cried, “Oh, where is your little brother?” and the little girl said to her mother, “He fell down and killed himself. “— “Oh,” she said, “who, who? Where is my dear little boy?” And while she was crying, the youth killed her; and after a while the father came, and he said, “Where is your mother?” The little girl said, “She has not come back yet,” and he was very angry. And the young man killed him, and the little girl too; and afterward he went home and asked his brother for his wife, but his brother refused; so he killed his brother and took his wife, and was very happy because he had her to live with him again.

The little girls and the mink

Three young girls encounter a mink who warns them of an approaching danger—a big man. Frightened, they seek refuge with their grandmother, who advises them to flee into the woods. When the big man arrives and questions the mink about the girls’ whereabouts, the mink remains silent and eventually escapes into the forest.

Source:
Ten’a Texts and Tales
(from Anvik, Alaska)
by John W. Chapman
The American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume 6 (ed. Franz Boas)
E.J. Brill, Leyden, 1914

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The Mink exhibits cunning behavior, a hallmark of the trickster archetype.

Conflict with Authority: The big man’s threat to the Mink introduces a power struggle.

Family Dynamics: The little girls’ relationship with their grandmother highlights familial bonds.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

There were three little girls who lived in a little house. One of them saw a Mink coming. The Mink said, “Girls, there is a big man coming;” and these little girls were afraid, and ran into the house and told their grandmother; and their grandmother said, “Girls, run into the woods!” So they ran into the woods; and the big man came up and said, “Mink, where are the girls?” and the Mink did not answer. And the big man said, “Mink, I will kill you!” and the Mink ran into the woods.

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How Raven stole the rich man’s daughter

In a village of mud houses, a wealthy man had a beautiful daughter who refused all suitors. One day, while berry-picking with other girls, their canoes mysteriously drifted across the river. A Raven man offered to ferry them back, but after assisting the others, he abducted the rich man’s daughter. She cleverly escaped by tying his rope to a tree and returned home safely. Subsequently, the villagers transformed into animals.

Source:
Ten’a Texts and Tales
(from Anvik, Alaska)
by John W. Chapman
The American Ethnological Society
Publications, Volume 6 (ed. Franz Boas)
E.J. Brill, Leyden, 1914

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The Raven man embodies the trickster archetype, using cunning to deceive the village girls and abduct the rich man’s daughter.

Forbidden Love: The Raven man’s desire for the rich man’s daughter, despite social and personal barriers, reflects a pursuit of forbidden love.

Conflict with Authority: The Raven man’s actions challenge societal norms and the authority of the rich man, leading to significant consequences.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Koyukon Lore

Learn more about Koyukon people

There was a big village where the people lived in mud houses; and in the village there lived a rich man who had a big house with a skin tied to a pole on top of the house, because he was a very rich man. He had a wife and one daughter. In the middle of the village there was a big kashime; and every evening the men of the village went into the kashime, and their wives brought them fish and meat and ice-cream; and after they had eaten, their wives took the wooden bowls away and went to their own houses, and the old men and the boys all went to sleep in the kashime. Early in the morning the young boys would go to get wood for the kashime, and afterwards they would have breakfast.

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Sometimes the rich man would hunt for deer, and would kill plenty of deer with his arrows and bow, and would feed all the people. Now, his daughter was a fine girl, and she did not wish to get married to anybody. And all the young boys liked her, and every one got fire-wood for her, and tried to go into her father’s house to visit her; but she did not care for them, and threw all their dry wood over the bank. They all tried for her, but they could not get her. One summer the girls of the village took their canoes and went to get berries, and the rich man’s daughter went with them in her canoe. They all stopped at the foot of a mountain, and left their canoes, and went up on the mountain to get berries. When the Raven man heard that the girls had gone to get berries, he took his canoe and went after them, and found their canoes drawn up on the shore, and took them over to the other side of the river. When the girls came down from the mountain, they found that their canoes were gone; and they said, “Oh, my! our canoes are on the other side of the river: the wind did it.” Then they saw the Raven man paddling past them; and they called to him, and said, “Bring our canoes over to us!” But he said, “No, I will take you across in my canoe.” So the girls said, “Yes;” and he took over first one, and then another. Then the rich man’s daughter said, “Take me over!” but he said, “By and by.” So after he had taken all the others over, he took the rich man’s daughter into his canoe, but he went off down the river with her. And she cried, because she did not like the Raven man. So he went on down the river with her; and she cried all day long, because she did not like him. And he said to her, “Don’t cry! I will not hurt you, I am a good man.” But she said, “I don’t like you: you tell lies all the time.” The next day the girl said, “I want to go into the woods for a little while.” So the Raven man said, “Yes;” and he tied a long rope to her, because he thought she might run away, and he held the end of it while she went into the woods. Then she untied the rope, and tied it to a tree and ran away. The Raven man called to her, but there was no answer; and he pulled upon the rope, but it did not give; and he pulled it hard, and the tree broke off. Then he ran up into the woods, looking for her; but she was on the way home, and got there first. Afterward he went home too; and his grandmother asked him, “Where have you been?” and he said, “I have been in the woods.” But his grandmother said, “I hear that you took the rich man’s daughter off down the river. Don’t do that again, because you are not a rich man, to take that girl for your wife.” And after that, all the people turned into animals.

(Another version) There was a big village where a great many people lived. And they had only one kashime, and in this village there lived a Raven man. There was a girl, too, who did not want to get married. All the young men wanted her, but she did not care for any of them. It came summertime, and all the women went to get berries, and this girl went with them. After they had gone, the Raven got up and put on his little dog-skin parka and boots, and went out of the kashime, and went looking around, and found a canoe laid up. He took it down and looked at it, and found that it was made of fish-skin. He put it in the water and got into it, and found the place where the girls had gone to get berries. He saw their canoes drawn up on the shore, and took them all across the river, and then went off down the river again. In the afternoon he came up again; and by that time the women were coming back, down the mountain. “Oh, my!” said one of them, “our canoes are all on the other side of the river. How shall we get across?” Then they saw the Raven coming up the river in his canoe; and they all called out to him, “Oh, my dear grandfather! please, will you bring our canoes over for us?” But the Raven said, “No, I can’t do that, because it will be too much work. I’ll tell you what I will do. I will take you all over, one at a time.” So they all said, “Yes,” and he took them all over except that beautiful girl. “Come on!” said -he, “and I will take you over, too.” So she got into his canoe; but, instead of taking her across, he went off down the river with her; and she screamed, because she didn’t like him. He went on about twenty days, and one day the girl said that she would like to take a walk on the shore. So the Raven said she might; and he went ashore and took a big dogharness out of his canoe, and tied a long rope to it, and put it on the girl, and told her to go ahead. So she went up the bank, into the brush, and found a big stump, and took off the dog-harness and put it on the stump, and went off a little way. “Come on!” said the Raven-, and the Stump said, “By and by, I am not ready yet.” And after a while the Raven pulled on the rope, and hauled the big Stump out to the bank; and he became angry and went up on the bank, looking through the brush. Pretty soon he came back, and saw the girl sitting in the canoe; and he said, “Come on, come and get me!” But the girl said, “I don’t like you.” And the Raven said, “If you won’t take me, give me my arrows and my bow.” But she broke them in pieces, and threw them into the water, and paddled away home. Then the Raven began to cry, because he had no canoe to go home in; and he made his way home walking on the beach, and reached the village in about twenty days, very ill and sore, and went to his grandmother’s house. “Where have you been?” said his grandmother. “I don’t know,” said he. He was sick one day and one night, and the next morning he died. His grandmother wailed for him, and all the women wailed, too, and that night all the people made songs. But some of them made bad songs, and the Raven made trouble for them. In the morning, when it grew light, the Raven flew away, and afterward all the men and women flew away, too.

The bad man and his son-in-law

A man is targeted by his malevolent father-in-law, who schemes to kill him. First, he sends the man to hunt near a cannibal toad’s lair, but with the aid of his animal protectors—a grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, and lynx—the man defeats the toad. Undeterred, the father-in-law attempts other deadly plots, including transforming his own daughter into a grizzly bear to attack her husband. Each time, the man overcomes the dangers, ultimately leading to the father-in-law’s demise.

Source:
Tahltan Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.32, No.124, pp.198-250
April-June, 1917
Vol.34, No.133, pp.223-253
July-September, 1921
Vol.34, No.134, pp.335-356
October-December, 1921

► Themes of the story

Supernatural Beings: The protagonist receives assistance from supernatural animal protectors, including the grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, and lynx.

Conflict with Authority: The story centers on the protagonist’s struggle against his authoritative and malevolent father-in-law.

Trials and Tribulations: The protagonist endures and overcomes a series of lethal challenges orchestrated by his father-in-law.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

A man who had married a girl, the daughter of a man of evil disposition, was hated by his father-in-law, who had made up his mind to kill him. One day he told the man to go hunting at a place where a gigantic cannibal toad lived. When the man approached the toad’s abode, he knew by the power of his protectors that he was in danger, and called on them for assistance. His four protectors — the grizzly bear, black bear, wolf, and lynx — appeared at once. The toad came out to fight the man, and opened its great mouth to bite him. Grizzly Bear, who was foremost, immediately jumped down its throat before it could bring its jaws together, and the others followed him. Then the four tore its entrails, and the man shot and killed it. The animals ate their way out, leaving four great holes in its body. When the man returned, his father-in-law was much disappointed because he had not been killed.

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The following day he asked him to go hunting on a high mountain at a place where snow-slides always came down and killed people. When he reached this place, he changed himself into something so tiny that the snow-slide could not crush it. The avalanche came and carried him down, but failed to harm him. When he arrived at the bottom, he resumed his natural form and went home. His father-in-law could hardly suppress his disappointment and anger. He said to his daughter, “I will change you into a grizzly bear. Go out on yonder side-hill and act and feed like a bear.” He put a bear-skin on her, and told her to tear her husband. Then he pointed out the bear to his son-in-law, who went to kill it. When he came near and was about to shoot, his wife called out, “Don’t shoot! Save me! I am your wife.” He never heeded, and kept on shooting until he had killed her. His father-in-law was now very angry, and pursued him. The man threw down part of the inside of the bear; and this formed a deep chasm between them, stopping for a time the advance of his pursuer. The latter caught up again; and the man threw something behind him, which again formed an obstacle and delayed his pursuer. Thus he threw down several things, which became canyons, lakes, etc., behind him. His father-in-law managed to pass them all, and again caught up. He had only one thing left that he could throw. This was a stick, which turned into fire [some people say it was a fire-drill or fire-rock]. His pursuer ran right into the fire, and was burned to death.

The Doom of the Katt-a-Quins

The Katt-a-quin family, led by their malevolent chief, terrorized their Tlingit community in ancient times. Their cruelty extended to both people and animals, causing widespread fear and resentment. One day, after sabotaging their neighbors’ berry harvest, the Katt-a-quins were mysteriously transformed into stone as a divine punishment for their misdeeds, serving as an enduring reminder of the consequences of malevolence.

Source:
The Doom of the Katt-a-Quins
– from the aboriginal folk-lore
of Southern Alaska –
by James Deans
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.5, No.18, pp.232-235
July-September, 1892

► Themes of the story

Community and Isolation: The family’s malicious actions lead to their social ostracization, highlighting the dynamics between belonging and estrangement within the tribe.

Conflict with Authority: The Katt-a-quin family’s defiance against communal norms and their disruptive behavior can be seen as a challenge to the established order and leadership within the society.

Moral Lessons: The tale serves as a cautionary story, imparting ethical teachings about the consequences of malevolent behavior and the importance of harmony within the community.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about Tlingit people

Katt-a-quin was a chief among the Tlingit. He lived very long ago, our fathers tell us, so long that no man can count the time by moons nor by snows, but by generations. He was a bad man, the worst that ever lived among our people. Not only were he himself and his wife bad, but the whole family were like him.

They were feared and shunned by every one, even by little children, who would run away screaming when any of the family came near. Nothing seemed to give them so much pleasure as the suffering of other people. Dogs they delighted to torture, and tore their young ones to pieces. Most persons love and fondle a nice, fat little puppy, but not so the Katt-a-quin family; when they got a nice puppy it was soon destroyed by hunger and ill-usage.

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When the people met their neighbors from above, at Shakes-heit, if Katt-a-quin came there, he generally spoiled the market, and if he could not get what he wanted by fair means, he would take it by force. The people, seeing this, would pack up and leave. So tired had they grown of the family, that the rest of the tribe had decided to make them all leave the village, or, failing in that, endeavor to get clear of them by some other means. But before doing anything of that sort, they were delivered in a way terrible and unthought of. From old versions of the story, it appears that the people had become so disgusted with the family that when they wished to go hunting, or to gather wild fruit, they would strictly conceal their object and the direction of their journey from those whom they disliked.

One morning, while all were staying at Shakes-heit, they made up their minds to go to the large flat where these rocks stand, and lay in a stock of wild fruits for winter use. So in order that none of the Katt-a-quin might come, they all left early and quietly. When the others got up, which was far from early, as they were a lazy lot, and found that they were left alone, they were displeased at not being asked to go along with the others. After a time they all got into a canoe, and went up the river in order to find the rest, which after a while they did, by finding their canoes hauled up on shore.

After this they also landed, and began to pluck berries; but finding that the people who preceded them had got the best of the fruit, they gave up picking in disgust, and were seated on the shore when the others returned, having, as might be expected, plenty of fine fruit. Seeing that the rest had a fine supply, and they themselves nothing but sour, unripe stuff, they asked for a few, which the others gave them; at the same time saying that they should not be so lazy, as they might also have got their share of good ones. After a while, the old fellow demanded more of the best fruit; this the people flatly refused, saying that the late comers ought to go picking for themselves.

Just then a number of the first party, who had gone in another direction, returned with baskets full of nice, large, and ripe fruit. Seeing this, the whole family of the Katt-a-quins went and demanded the whole; this the others refused, saying they had no idea of toiling all day gathering fruit for such a worthless, lazy set as they were. A scuffle began, which ended in the family upsetting all the fruit, and trampling it under foot in the sand, thus destroying the proceeds of a long and hard day’s work.

Seeing all this, the people made a rush, some for their bows and arrows, others arming themselves with whatever came to hand, all determined to wreak vengeance on those who had caused the destruction of their day’s labor, and whom all disliked.

Seeing this turn of affairs, and the determination of the people, the offenders knew that their only safety lay in getting aboard their canoe, and going down the river before the others could follow them. This they did, leaving in their hurry one or two of their children behind them. But a new and terrible retribution awaited them. When they reached the middle, Yehl or Yethel, who had been watching their conduct, turned them in an instant to these stones, and placed them where they now stand, to be an eternal warning to evil-doers. The largest one is Katt-a-quin. The next is his wife, and the small stones in the land and in the water, his children. What is seen is only their bodies; their souls, which can never die, went to Seewuck-cow, there to remain for ages, or until such time as they have made reparation for the evil done while in the body. After this they will ascend to Seewuck-cow, a better land. Such was the doom of the Katt-a-quins. As our fathers told the story to us, said the Tlingit, so I tell it to you.

The Kiksa’di woman who was turned into an owl

A woman named Lqaya’k’s wife mistreats her mother-in-law by placing hot herring milt in her hand. In response, her husband fills a canoe with herring and instructs his wife to retrieve them without assistance. As night falls, her cries transform into owl sounds. Her husband declares she will become an owl, and she flies away, becoming a creature that predicts bad weather and events in other towns.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Divine Punishment: The woman’s change into an owl. The transformation serves as retribution for her mistreatment of her mother-in-law.

Moral Lessons: The narrative imparts a lesson on the consequences of disrespecting elders and the ensuing punishment.

Conflict with Authority: The woman’s initial act of defiance against her mother-in-law’s authority leads to her eventual punishment.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

The story was obtained at Sitka.

When this town (Sitka) was first discovered the Kiksa’di were here, and we stayed on this (the north) side. This town (at the northern end) was named Mossy-town. There four men grew up, two of whom were named Lqaya’k and Kacka’lk. They married. Lqaya’k’s mother was named Kacka’lk’s-mother. Lqaya’k’s wife refused to give her mother-in-law herring to eat. After she had refused her twice she put hot milt into her hand. She told [her son], “She put hot milt from a male herring into my hand.” It burned her hand. For this reason her son carried down the canoe. He filled it with herring by means of a herring rake. When [the canoe] was filled, he brought them in. The herring rock is over yonder this side of Big-fort [the hill on which Baranoff’s castle stood]. He brought them in in the evening. He said to his wife, “Go down to it,” and she went down empty handed.

► Continue reading…

Then she shouted up, “Bring down the basket,” but her husband said, “Don’t listen to her.” Night came on. Toward morning the woman began to change her cries. “This way with the basket (kat)”, she said toward morning. Later still she began to say, “Hu, hu, hu, hu.” Her husband said to her, “You can become an owl from this time on.” So she started to fly off. She became an owl. She flew first among the trees. She was heard saying, “Sit in your holes,” after which he (her husband) went outside. He said to her, “You put milt into my mother’s hand. For that you can become an owl. Way back there for you is Owl’s-rock-slide.” This is why it is so. This is why we can always understand it (the owl). It always predicts bad weather. It always tells what is going to happen in other towns.

Beaver and porcupine

A porcupine and a beaver shared a close but complicated friendship, marked by mutual aid and eventual betrayal. Their alliance protected them from predators like bears but soured when the porcupine abandoned the beaver. Later, the porcupine befriended a groundhog, leading to strange events involving a hunter who met his demise due to a groundhog’s eerie prediction. The tale explores trust, betrayal, and supernatural warnings.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The tale comes alive with the cunning schemes of the porcupine, whose wit and trickery upset the beaver’s plans, embodying the mischievous and chaotic spirit of a classic trickster.

Moral Lessons: A timeless cautionary tale unfolds, teaching the importance of trust and the inescapable consequences of deceit, as the beaver and porcupine’s actions lead to unexpected turns.

Conflict with Authority: Beneath the surface, the story explores challenges to control or dominance, as characters wrestle for power, turning their conflict into a rich narrative of rebellion and consequence.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Sitka, Alaska
January-April 1904

A porcupine and a beaver were once very close friends. They traveled about everywhere and reported to each other all that happened. The bear is very much afraid of the porcupine, but he hates the beaver. Wherever the beaver has a dam, the bear breaks it up to lower the water, catches the beaver and eats him. But he is afraid of the porcupine’s sharp quills, so the latter sometimes stayed in the beaver’s house, which is always dry inside.

When the lake began falling, they knew it was caused by the bear, and the porcupine would go out to reconnoiter. Then he would come back and say to his friend, “Do not go out. I will go out first.” Then the bear would be afraid of the porcupine’s sharp quills and go away, after which all the beavers began repairing their dam while the porcupine acted as guard.

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By and by the porcupine said to the beaver, “I am hungry. I want to go to my own place.” Porcupine got his food from the bark and sap of trees, so he told the beaver to go up a tree with him, but the beaver could not climb. Then the porcupine told him to stay below while he went up to eat. Soon they saw the bear coming, and the beaver said, “Partner, what shall I do? The bear is getting near.” Then the porcupine slid down quickly and said, “Lay your head close to my back.” In that way he got the beaver to the top of the tree. But, after a while, the porcupine left him, and the beaver did not know how to climb down. He began to beg the porcupine in every way to let him down, but in vain. After quite a while, however, the squirrel, another friend of the beaver, came to him and helped him down, while the porcupine was off in a hole in the rocks with a number of other porcupines.

By and by the porcupine went back and saw his friend swimming in the lake. The beaver asked him down to the lake and then said, “Partner, let us go out to the middle of the lake. Just put your head on the back of my head and you will not get wet at all.” Because these two friends fell out, people now become friends, and, after they have loved each other for a while, fall out. Then the porcupine did as he was directed, the beaver told him to hold on tight, and they started. The beaver would flap his tail on the water and dive down for some distance, come to the surface, flap his tail, and go down again; and he repeated the performance until he came to an island in the center of the lake. Then he put the porcupine ashore and went flapping away from him in the same manner.

Now the little porcupine wandered around the whole island, not knowing how to get off. He climbed a tree, came down again, and climbed another, and so on. But the wolverine lived on the mainland near by, so after a while he began to sing for the wolverine (nusk) “Nu-u-sgue-e’, Nu-u-sgue-e’, Nu-u-sgue-e”. He called all the animals on the mainland, but he called the wolverine especially, because he wanted the north wind to blow so that it would freeze.

Then the wolverine called out, “What is the matter with you?” So he at last sang a song about himself, saying that he wanted to go home badly. After he had sung this the whole sea froze over, and the porcupine ran across it to his home. This is why they were going to be friends no longer.

Then the porcupine made friends with the ground hog and they stayed up between the mountains where they could see people whenever they started up hunting. One day a man started out, and when they saw him, the porcupine began singing, “Up to the land of ground hog. Up to the land of ground hog.” The man heard him. That is why people know that the porcupine sings about the ground hog.

After this the man began trapping ground hogs for food and caught a small ground hog. He took it home and skinned it. Then he took off the head and heated some stones in order to cook it. When he was just about to put it into the steaming box the head sang plainly, “Poor little head, my poor little head, how am I going to fill him?” The man was frightened, and, instead of eating, he went to his traps in the morning, took them up (lit. “threw them off”) and came home.

Next morning he reported everything to his friends, saying, “I killed a ground hog, skinned it and started to cook the head. Then it said to me, ‘Poor little head.’” After that he went out to see his bear traps. While he was endeavoring to tighten the release of one of these, the dead fall came down and struck him in the neck, making his head fly off. When he had been absent for two days they searched for him and found him in his own trap. This was what the ground hog had predicted when it said, “My poor little head.’” They took his body down to the beach, beat the drums for him, and had a feast on the ground hogs and other animals he had trapped.

The Woodpecker and the Lion

A Lion, troubled by a bone stuck in his throat, sought help from a cautious Woodpecker. The bird skillfully removed the bone, saving the Lion’s life. However, the Lion showed no gratitude, later dismissing the Woodpecker’s request for a favor by claiming sparing the bird earlier was enough. Disappointed, the Woodpecker chose to avoid the ungrateful Lion thereafter.

Source:
More Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1922

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The woodpecker uses cleverness to safely remove the bone from the lion’s throat, demonstrating wit in a dangerous situation.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson about ingratitude and the importance of reciprocating kindness, highlighting the consequences of selfishness.

Conflict with Authority: The woodpecker’s interaction with the powerful lion reflects the dynamics of challenging or dealing with those in positions of power, especially when they act unjustly.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

One day while a Lion was eating his dinner a bone stuck in his throat. It hurt so that he could not finish his dinner. He walked up and down, up and down, roaring with pain.

A Woodpecker lit on a branch of a tree near-by, and hearing the Lion, she said, “Friend, what ails you?” The Lion told the Woodpecker what the matter was, and the Woodpecker said: “I would take the bone out of your throat, friend, but I do not dare to put my head into your mouth, for fear I might never get it out again. I am afraid you might eat me”

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“O Woodpecker, do not be afraid,” the Lion said. “I will not eat you. Save my life if you can!”

“I will see what I can do for you,” said the Woodpecker. “Open your mouth wide.” The Lion did as he was told, but the Woodpecker said to himself: “Who knows what this Lion will do? I think I will be careful.”

So the Woodpecker put a stick between the Lion’s upper and lower jaws so that he could not shut his mouth.

Then the Woodpecker hopped into the Lion’s mouth and hit the end of the bone with his beak. The second time he hit it, the bone fell out.

The Woodpecker hopped out of the Lion’s mouth, and hit the stick so that it too fell out. Then the Lion could shut his mouth.

At once the Lion felt very much better, but not one word of thanks did he say to the Woodpecker.

One day later in the summer, the Woodpecker said to the Lion, “I want you to do something for me.”

“Do something for you?” said the Lion. “You mean you want me to do something more for you. I have already done a great deal for you. You cannot expect me to do anything more for you. Do not forget that once I had you in my mouth, and I let you go. That is all that you can ever expect me to do for you.” The Woodpecker said no more, but he kept away from the Lion from that day on.

Why the Owl Is Not King of the Birds

The enmity between crows and owls stems from an ancient gathering of birds to choose a king. While many favored the owl, a crow objected, citing the owl’s sour demeanor. The crow’s vocal protest angered the owl, sparking a feud. Ultimately, the birds chose the turtle dove as their king, but the rivalry between crows and owls persists to this day.

Source:
Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1912

► Themes of the story

Conflict with Authority: The crow challenges the collective decision to appoint the owl as king, opposing the majority’s choice.

Family Dynamics: The tale explores relationships within the avian community, highlighting differing opinions and resulting conflicts.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts lessons about leadership qualities, the consequences of dissent, and the origins of enmity between species.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

Why is it that Crows torment the Owls as they sleep in the daytime? For the same reason that the Owls try to kill the Crows while they sleep at night.

Listen to a tale of long ago and then you will see why.

Once upon a time, the people who lived together when the world was young took a certain man for their king. The four-footed animals also took one of their number for their king.

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The fish in the ocean chose a king to rule over them. Then the birds gathered together on a great flat rock, crying:

“Among men there is a king, and among the beasts, and the fish have one, too; but we birds have none. We ought to have a king. Let us choose one now.”

And so the birds talked the matter over and at last they all said, “Let us have the Owl for our king.”

No, not all, for one old Crow rose up and said, “For my part, I don’t want the Owl to be our king. Look at him now while you are all crying that you want him for your king. See how sour he looks right now. If that’s the cross look he wears when he is happy, how will he look when he is angry? I, for one, want no such sour-looking king!”

Then the Crow flew up into the air crying, “I don’t like it! I don’t like it!” The Owl rose and followed him. From that time on the Crows and the Owls have been enemies. The birds chose a Turtle Dove to be their king, and then flew to their homes.